Summer Planting
by winter s. jameson
Summary: Ten-year-old Egon Spengler has built the largest ant farm in Ohio as a project for a summer day camp. But the lesson he ends up learning at the camp's conclusion may not be the one he was expecting...


_I wrote this little piece in 2007 in response to a fic challenge on the RGBfanfic list for a summer vacation story. Someone mentioned Egon's ant farm during the ensuing discussion, and a plot bunny was born. Enjoy, and feel free to let me know what you think!_

* * *

Ten-year-old Egon Spengler sat at the table in his playroom staring at a section of the wall that separated the space he was in from his bedroom proper, and the ant farm he had designed that he was proud to claim was the largest in Ohio. As he watched the tiny insects move through the tunnels they had built in the sand, he remembered his parents' reactions to the concept of putting the window-sized construct into the thin wall that separated the two rooms. His mother had been concerned about the possibility of the ants escaping into her pristine home, although she was impressed by her son's devotion to the project. She had been the one to buy him the small, plastic version he had based his idea on for Christmas a year and a half before.

His father, on the other hand, had questioned him thoroughly about the specifications he had in mind for the giant ant farm. How thick would the panels of glass need to be? How much sand, food, and other materials would he need? How many ants would this farm be able to support? There were more questions about the theories and calculations he had used to come to the conclusions he had. Finally, Edwin Spengler had agreed to the project after correcting a mistake he had found, taking his son to minor task over the error. Egon had been mortified, but his mother had pulled him aside later that day and assured him that not only was his father still proud of him, it was more than acceptable to make a mistake or two. He was human, after all. The blond boy allowed his mother's words and warm hug that followed them to soothe him, at the same time as he mentally promised himself to triple-check his facts and figures before beginning a project from then on.

In the present, the child released a deep sigh and let his chin fall into his hands, his elbows resting on the tabletop. It was evening, the sun beginning to set in the western sky and shadows beginning to play across the different pieces of furniture. Egon had just finished the daily log concerning the ant farm that he was compiling for the science day camp he was involved with for the month of July when the sound of a small group of children laughing as they ran by his house reached him through the open windows of the room. He turned to look and saw three boys and two girls chasing a soccer ball that was bouncing down the middle of the street. As the watching boy considered how lucky they were that the road didn't see a lot of traffic, one of the boys stumbled and fell, wiping out quite spectacularly. The other kids quickly came to a halt and hurried back, totally forgetting the ball in their concern for their friend. It wasn't long before everyone realized there had been no real damage done, and the chase was on again. The fivesome quickly ran out of sight.

Egon stared after them for a long time. He wasn't inclined to participate in such physical activities except when required for his physical education classes at school, but something in what he had just witnessed called to a part of him. With a sigh, he finally returned his attention to the insect society in the wall, letting go of the strange, unfamiliar feeling. He decided he had better double check his notes before he categorized the new mushroom samples he had gathered in the park that day while he waited for his mother to pick him up after day camp. It wouldn't do to forego the necessities of proper scientific method. With one last self-assuring nod of his head, he returned to his work.

* * *

A week later, the students that had taken part in the science day camp were spending their final day at a local carnival, their month-long projects turned in and evaluated the day before. Egon had proudly accepted top honors, dismissing the whispered grumbles he overheard from the other children as he did. He encountered such attitudes on a regular basis during the school year and understood that jealousy inspired them thanks to his mother's explanation when he had asked her about it. It seemed his achievement left him alone to wander around the fair, however. The blond boy sighed and shrugged as he accepted the normal state of affairs before beginning to walk around the open space to see what entertainment was offered.

The various rides didn't capture his interest, at least not to ride them. He examined them as they worked, most of the time impressed with the construction and performance of the machines. He even got a few ideas for experiments he could run over the rest of the summer if he could acquire the right materials. The games of skill were less compelling. As he walked by them, ignoring the hawkers as they called to the passers-by trying to bring them to the booths, his mind wandered to his latest experiment idea. With the success of his large ant farm, he had begun to deconstruct the project in his mind, and was currently wondering about the different variables. Would he have as much success if he had used a different kind of sand? Food? Randomly gathered ants instead of the live ants available for order from the companies that manufactured ant farms?

The last fact had been the first Egon had latched onto for a new experiment. Using his allowance to purchase a new, empty ant farm - the one his mother gave him was still successfully supporting its original colony - he had prepared it with the sand that had come with the kit, only needing ants to start the trial as he had plenty of food due to the other two farms. He had brought two containers that had been used to transport ants to add to the other colonies with him to the carnival, in the hopes that he could find some time alone to gather the specimens he needed. Sticking a hand in a pocket as he watched a teenage boy try to shoot enough targets to win his giggling girlfriend a large pink stuffed elephant, he was reminded of the task he had set himself, and he walked just past the last booth in the row to see if could complete it.

It took him five or six minutes to follow a few ants from a nearby garbage can to the pile of granulated dirt that marked their system of tunnels. Egon had just begun to gather some of the insects that swarmed around the area, contemplating how he would obtain a queen for his new colony, when a pair of day camp students came up behind him and snickered. "Hey, Ant Boy," one of them, a boy with short black hair, dark grey eyes, and a build slightly wider than Egon's, sneered with a distinctively malicious tone. "I see you decided to go home."

"Yeah, to the only things that can put up with you," the other boy said, his longer strawberry blond hair rustling a bit in the light breeze of the hot July afternoon as Egon rose to his feet, leaving the two containers on the ground next to him.

"I was merely gathering samples for another experiment," the skinny boy tried to explain, his pale blue eyes narrowing in confusion behind his black, plastic-framed glasses. "It was never my intention to disturb you."

"You bug us just by being here," the first boy said. "Why didn't you just stay home and play with your charts and graphs? Nobody actually wants you here."

Egon blinked at the harshness in the accusation, his surprise making him oblivious to the other boy kneeling down and pulling the small magnifying glass that he had won at the ring toss out of his pocket. "I do not believe you can truly speak for everyone, Anthony," Egon said slowly. He stopped himself before he admitted that the only reason he had come was because his mother had wanted him to. "Besides, I wasn't bothering anyone."

Anthony scoffed. "Like I said, you bug people just by being there. And just what was with the big, complicated project, Ant Boy? It's not like you were going to get any extra credit for next year. Just trying to kiss the counselors' butts?"

"My project was actually quite simple. I merely followed the appropriate steps thoroughly." Egon didn't understand what Anthony's problem was. The other boy had put together an impressive project himself, if somewhat limited in scope. It wasn't surprising from the son of the head of the Chemical and Materials Engineering department at the University of Cleveland. He had even heard a few of the counselors speaking highly of it.

"Yeah, whatever. My dad gave me a real hard time last night because of you. All because of some stupid ants!" Anthony scowled darkly and clenched his fists.

"How could _I_ have been the cause of your father giving you a, uh, 'hard time'?" Egon asked, truly not understanding. "Your project was well received."

Anthony gritted his teeth, his muscles tensing even further.

"I hope you realize the lens of that thing is made of plastic," a new voice asked from behind the trio. "I don't think you'll get a hot enough beam to give the ants a tan much less fry them."

The comment made the three of them turn around quickly to see a younger, smaller boy with unruly brown hair and emerald green eyes staring at the kneeling boy trying to focus sunlight through his magnifying glass. His arms were crossed over his chest and his features held an amused expression. The boy on the ground quickly hopped to his feet. "It's none of your business, twerp," he said defensively.

Egon snatched up his containers and examined the ants inside the first one. "Fortunately, my specimens are unharmed," he declared, outraged.

"And what exactly would you have done to us if they hadn't been?" Anthony asked with a wicked smirk.

"Don't you guys have anything better to do than bug someone who wasn't anywhere near you before?" the new kid asked incredulously. "I can see the tickets hanging out of your pockets; why don't you go check out the rides? The rollercoaster here is pretty good."

"Butt out, loser," Anthony snarled, an expression of distaste shaping his face as he took in the old, worn tee shirt and jeans the newcomer was wearing. "You're just a carny rat anyway. Go back to whatever game booth you came out of and leave us alone."

The green eyes flashed. "You know, I only came out here because I saw the teachers you guys came with looking for somebody. Excuse me for thinking you might care."

Egon and the other two shot glances back at the main thoroughfare of the carnival. Their counselors weren't in the immediate area, but Mister Larson's balding head could be seen coming their way through the crowd. Anthony glared back at the younger boy. "You're lucky I don't beat up little kids," he commented like he was conferring a great benediction.

"Oh, so you prefer a battle of wits?" The brown-haired boy grinned evilly. "I'm sorry, I don't fight against unarmed people."

It took Anthony and his crony a moment to get that, while Egon fought to control the upward twitching of his mouth. "You're not worth it," Anthony snarled finally, glancing one more time over his shoulder at the approaching authority figure. He shifted his blazing gaze to Egon. "And you I can deal with later." He gestured to his lackey, and the two offending boys ran off into the crowd milling between the game booths.

"Thank you for your support," Egon said to his unexpected ally. "I truly do not understand why Anthony was so upset with me."

"Who knows? All I know is that he was a stupid bully." The younger boy gestured to the ant hill. "Go ahead and scoop up your ants. Don't like 'em myself, but if you do..." His voice trailed off with a shrug.

Egon looked once more at the containers in his hands. "I believe I have enough specimens for now." He hesitated. "Did you really come over here to inform us of our counselors' search for us?"

The other child's eyes widened innocently. "Why would you believe anything else?"

Before Egon could answer, he heard his name being called by Mister Larson. The balding man was striding over, a purposeful look on his face. The blond looked back at his companion.

"Go on, get out of here," the boy told him, making a shooing motion with his hands. "I have to go find my pop anyway. We're just here for a couple days before he takes me back to Brooklyn. Our little vacation is just about over."

"Thank you again," Egon said with a grateful smile. Once the other child had left with a jaunty wave, he considered the experience. A warm feeling welled up inside him when he thought of the way he had been defended, and he nearly laughed when he remembered the look on Anthony's face when he realized he'd been insulted. Then the smile faded with the realization that the boy - he regretted not getting his name - didn't live in the area, thus making it extremely unlikely that Egon would ever see him again. Ah, well. He'd best get back to his experiments anyway.

But as Mister Larson gathered him up to bring him back to the others, a part of Egon's mind decided it liked the feeling the younger boy had stirred. He wanted to feel it again. The seed planted, a smile unknowingly grew across the boy's features, secure deep in his heart that sometime in the future he would feel that warmth again.


End file.
